“How can they be significant?”
He said patiently, “Significance assessment is a qualitative technique to evaluate the relative importance of cultural heritage items for management purposes.”
“Yes, I realize some of these items are valuable, and I realize Cheyenne PD doesn’t have the resources to investigate the theft of such unique items, but—”
“It’s not about that, though,” Jason cut in. “It’s not about commercial value. It’s about cultural heritage, and these items meet that criteria.”
Dreyfus actually looked dismayed. “They have devils and demons on them. They’re advertisements for trickery and…and deception. Levitation and mind reading and decapitation and fortune-telling.”
“Chicanery and shenanigans,” Jason supplied, smiling. “Yes. But they also meet two of the four fields of value.”
“What are the four fields of value?”
“Historic, aesthetic, scientific, and social. These posters are historic, and they’re beautiful. And I think a case could be made for social value since that’s always changing and subjective anyway. You could almost argue science given the ads for levitation and decapitation. Regardless, you only need to find significance in one field. You also have to take into account context, history, practical uses, and the item’s social and spiritual values.”
Her brows rose in polite doubt, probably thinking again about those tiny red demons and devils. She didn’t argue, though. She said, “Here’s the situation.”
Dreyfus gave a quick and summary accounting of the robbery that had taken place at the home of Michael and Minerva Khan nearly seventy-two hours earlier.
At five o’clock on Friday evening, Michael Khan had left his home in Cheyenne to have dinner with his agent. His wife, Minerva, was performing that evening. The Khans had no children, and the servants were not live-in. When Khan returned home late that evening, he found the front door standing open and his entire collection of art and memorabilia gone. “Vanished” was the word he used.
“Was the door broken or the lock picked?” Jason asked.
“The door was unlocked. There was no forced entry. Minerva Khan left the domicile after her husband. She insists all doors and windows were locked.”
“Was there a security system? Cameras? Anything like that?”
“There are cameras, but they were just for show. They’re not hooked up to anything.”
“You’re kidding.”
“No.”
Jason said, “What about neighboring security cameras? Maybe someone caught something.”
“Cheyenne PD is working on that. The best bet are the security cameras from across the street, but the owners are away on a skiing trip. The Khans do have a security system, but Minerva didn’t arm it. That’s not unusual, though. Both husband and wife agreed she often forgot. She told the detectives she had problems remembering the codes.?
??
“Uh-huh. What about the other neighbors?” Jason asked. “This is a sizable collection, and some of the items like the guillotine, the trunks, chambers, and tables would be pretty heavy. It would take a crew—certainly more than one person—a few hours and a moving van to remove everything. Are you saying nobody saw anything?”
“Neighbors reported seeing a white, unmarked moving van parked outside the house around eight o’clock. No one thought anything about it because moving vans are a common occurrence at the Khans.”
Jason’s brows drew together. “What does that mean?”
“The Khans get a lot of deliveries. It sounds to me like Mr. Khan was a compulsive hoarder. Also Mrs. Khan is in the process of moving out of the house.”
Now that was interesting. “They’re separating?”
“Yes. Michael and Minerva Khan are in the middle of a hotly contested divorce. In fact, each of them has suggested the other is involved in the burglary and theft.”
It wouldn’t be the first time.
“You said Khan was meeting with his agent? What is it he does?” Jason asked.
Dreyfus shook her head as though the very idea pained her. “He’s a professional magician.”
Jason smiled. “Is he?”